1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a background-sound switching apparatus, a background-sound switching method, and a readable recording medium containing a background-sound switching program which switch background sounds created corresponding to variations of events to be displayed in display means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a system for displaying variations of events, for example, in a video game, has been known. In this system, generally, background sounds created corresponding to images to be displayed on display means are outputted through a speaker so as to improve the effectiveness of the images displayed on the display means. For example, in a video game, background sounds produced corresponding to game images are outputted through a speaker so as to improve the simulation realism of the game. Generally, these background sound pieces are composed using multiple pieces of background-sound data created for, for example, individual game stages; and the background-sound data to be outputted through the speaker is switched as the displayed game stage changes.
However, the background-sound data to be outputted through the speaker is not suitably switched. This causes unnatural changes when the switching boundary is perceived by the ear, preventing the effectiveness of displayed images from being improved.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a background-sound switching apparatus, a background-sound switching method, a readable recording medium in which a background-sound switching program is recorded, and a video game apparatus that allow background-sound data to be switched suitably.
To achieve the above, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a background-music switching apparatus having display means for displaying variations of events, sound-generating means for generating background sounds, background-sound-data storing means containing background-sound data which is time-series data having been prepared corresponding to the events and including partitioning codes at predetermined partitioning positions, output control means for creating the background-sound data to the sound-generating means to generate background sounds, code-detecting means for detecting the partitioning code in the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means, switching instruction means for outputting an instruction signal for switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means to other background-sound data, and switching control means for switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to the other background-sound data in synchronous with timing of detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal.
According to this configuration, the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the event variations is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated. In this, when the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and the instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, by which the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched. This prevents unnatural changes which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data is clearly identified by the ear.
In the background-sound switching apparatus as described above, the background-sound data may include music data, and the partitioning code may be provided at the end position of a phrase of the music data.
According to this arrangement, since the partitioning code is provided at the end position of the phrase of the background-sound data, the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched, thereby preventing unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear.
Also, in the background-sound switching apparatus as described above, the switching instruction means may output the instruction signal according to the event variation.
According to this arrangement, in which the instruction signal is outputted according to the event variation, and switching can be performed at the predetermined positions of the background-sound data according to the event variation. Therefore, the background-sound data can be suitably switched.
Also, the background-sound switching apparatus as described above may further have standby-data storing means containing identification data for defining the other background-sound data, and data-number control means for storing the identification data in the standby-data storing means upon output of the instruction signal; in which switching control means determines whether or not the identification data is stored in the standby-data storing means when the partitioning code is detected, and if the identification data is stored, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data to be defined by the identification data.
According to this configuration, determination is performed as to whether or not the identification data is stored in the standby-data storing means when the partitioning code is detected, and if the identification data is stored, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data to be defined by the identification data, by which switching can be performed to the defined other background-sound data without fail in synchronous with timing of the detection of the partitioning code.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a background-sound switching method for switching from background-sound data prepared corresponding to variations of events to be displayed in display means that contains partitioning codes provided at predetermined partitioning positions of the background-sound data, detecting the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to sound-generating means, and switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to other background-sound data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be outputted following output of an instruction signal which causes switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to other data.
According to this configuration, the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the event variations is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated. In this, when the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and the instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, by which the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched. This prevents unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a readable recording medium that contains a background-sound switching program which switches background sounds generated by outputting background-sound data prepared corresponding to variations of events to be displayed on display means, having partitioning codes provided at predetermined positions of the background-sound data, a signal-outputting step for outputting an instruction signal which causes switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to other background-sound data, and a switching step for switching from the background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to the other background-sound data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be outputted following output of the instruction signal.
When the computer reads the readable recording medium and performs execution, the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the event variations is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated. In this, when the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and the instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, by which the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched. This prevents unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game apparatus having the background-sound switching apparatus as described above, program-storing means containing the game program, externally-operable operating means, and display control means for controlling images to be displayed on display means according to the game program.
According to this configuration, images of various types are displayed, and the background-sound data corresponding to the game images is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated according to the game program. In this, when the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and the instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, thereby ensuring prevention of unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear.
The present invention produces advantages as summarized below.
According to the background-sound switching apparatus, background-music switching method, and readable recording medium, when a partitioning code of background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is detected, and an instruction signal causing switching from the background-sound data being outputted to sound-generating means is outputted, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal. Accordingly, the background-sound data is switched at the predetermined positions, thereby allowing prevention of unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear, by which the background-sound data can be suitably switched.
Also, the background-sound switching apparatus provides the following advantages:
(1) Since the background-sound data includes music data, and the partitioning code is provided at the end position of a phrase of the music data, the background sound is not suddenly switched, but is naturally switched, therefore ensuring prevention of unnatural changes which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data is clearly identified by the ear.
(2) Since the instruction signal is outputted according to the event variation, switching can be performed at the predetermined positions of the background-sound data according to the event variation. Accordingly, the background-sound data can be suitably switched.
(3) Determination is performed as to whether or not the identification data is stored in standby-data storing means when the partitioning code is detected. As a result, if the identification data is determined to have been stored, the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other data to be defined by the identification data. According to this arrangement, the background-music data can be switched to the defined other background-sound data without fail in synchronous with timing of the detection of the partitioning code.
Also, the video game apparatus has the background-sound switching apparatus as described above, program-storing means containing the game program, externally-operable operating means, and display control means for controlling images to be displayed on the display means according to the game program. Therefore, switching is performed at the predetermined positions of the background-sound data. Therefore, unnatural changes, which may be felt when the switching boundary in the background-sound data, is clearly identified by the ear can be prevented, and simulation effects of the game images to be improved.